Russia 128 drones; Ukraine down 107; EU hits Rosneft
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- Russian forces launched a ballistic missile and 128 drones overnight, and Ukrainian forces shot down 107 of the drones.
- Ukrainian police officers were killed in a Russian drone attack near Serednii Burluk in Kharkiv.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said no positive movement has been made in negotiations over occupied Ukrainian land in US‑mediated peace talks.
- Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will chair a video conference of Ukraine’s “Coalition of the Allies” on Feb 24, marking the invasion’s fourth anniversary.
- European Commission approved Germany to take trusteeship of Russian oil group Rosneft’s German assets when the current arrangement expires on March 10.
- Hungary will block a €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine until oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline resumes, according to Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
- United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence announced cooperation with European allies to develop new low‑cost air‑defence weapons.
Why it matters: Ukraine’s high drone‑intercept rate blunts Russia’s aerial offensive, protecting civilian sites, while Europe’s seizure of Rosneft assets and Hungary’s loan block tighten economic pressure on Russia and constrain Ukraine’s financing, shifting leverage toward the West and raising the stakes for energy security.
